Shobana Radhakrishnan is a Senior Reporter at Citizen Matters. Before moving to Chennai in 2022, she reported for the national daily, The New Indian Express (TNIE), from Madurai. During her stint at TNIE, she did detailed ground reports on the plight of migrant workers and the sorry-state of public libraries in addition to covering the renowned Jallikattu, Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections (2021) and Rural Local Body Polls (2019-2020). Shobana has a Masters degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from the Pondicherry Central University and a Bachelors in English Literature. She keenly follows the impact of development on vulnerable groups.
Only half of women in Chennai felt that the city was safe for them according to the GCC’s Gender and Policy Lab study on women’s safety which was released recently.
Mental health professionals working in Chennai schools face many constraints as they navigate the delicate path of helping children, while some schools don’t even have counsellors.
Residents and civil society organisations use art and traditional foods to express dissent against polluting industries and to get the attention of authorities.
The Gender and Policy Lab has been working towards making the voices of women of Chennai heard in key policy decisions and to create an equitable city.
Labour stands in Chennai are seen as places of job opportunities for migrant workers. But low wages, no bargaining power and illegal practices in labour stands leave the workers vulnerable in many ways.
Eviction and resettlement policies fail to take into account their negative impact on education, leading to increase in dropouts and children taking to anti-social activities.